Slack-adjuster for draft-rods.



' No. 67|,829.-- PatentedApr. 9, I90I.

E. LEWIS.

SLACK ADJUSTER-FOR DRAFT RODS.

(Application filed. Aug. 1,

(No Model.)

//v VENTOH N Elms leg/06' W/ TNE SSE 8 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS LEWIS, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

SLACK-ADJUSTER FOR DRAFT-RODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 671,829, dated April 9, 1901.

Application filed August 1, 1900. fierial No. 25,582. (No mode1.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS LEWIS, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Slack-Adjuster for Draft-Rods, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the nature of an improved device for taking up slack in anchorrods, guy-ropes, and the like, and particularly intended for use in taking up slack on continuous draft-rods of freight-cars, such as those known in the art as American draftrods.

Primarily my invention has for its purpose to provide a device for the purposes stated of a very simple and inexpensive natu re which can be readily applied for use and which will effectively serve for its intended purposes.

My invention comprehends certain novel details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafterbe fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the draft and buffing apparatus for cars with my improvement applied. Fig. 2 illustrates my invention as applied to an anchor-rod. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the adjuster, showing the preferred construction. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the several parts constituting the form of my invention shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 1 indicate the ends of two rods, which may be the ends of draftrods, as shown in Fig. 1, or anchor-rods, as shown in Fig. 2, or they may be rod portions forming the terminals of guy-ropes.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the two rod-sections form opposing members. Each member 1 terminates in a head portion 1*, having a ratchet or tooth face 1*, the heads being constructed alike, with ratchets inclined to interlock when the two heads are placed together. The two heads 1 are adapted to fit within a sleeve 2, whose opening 2 is of greater width than that of the two heads combined. One inner face, 2, of the sleeve is made straight, while the other, 2 is made tapering to form a wedge-opening X at one side of the sleeve.

3 designates a wedge-key adapted to fit the opening X, and when driven home in the said opening it serves to hold the heads 1 firmly interlocked and from endwise movement relative to each other. To hold the key 3 from working out by jarring or other motion of the rods 1 1, the end of the key terminates in a slitted tongue 3 whereby one lip or portion thereof can be conveniently bent up by any suitable implement at right angles and over one edge of the sleeve 2 to form a locking member 3, which member when turned up, as shown in Fig. 3, will positively hold the key from endwise movement or working out. To hold the sleeve, together with the key, from endwise movement upon the rod-heads 1 toward the tapering end of the key, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, the face I of the head l that opposes the straight face of the sleeve, together with the opposite sleeve-face, is serrated or roughened, as at 6. "(See Fig. 3.) By thus forminga binder connection between the ratchet-head l and the sleeve the said sleeve will be positively held from creeping 0d the ratchet ends of the rods, and by reason of the tongue 3 the key can be pulled out.

My invention is extremely simple in its character, can bereadily manufactured, and is capable of being instantly fitted in position to take up the slack in rods or guy-ropes. The several parts can be readily manufactured by an ordinary blacksmith, and when fitted in position they will positively hold together for the purposes described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

The combination with the sleeve having a straightway inner face at one side and an opposing tapering or wedge face of the two straight end rod-sections, said sections having opposing ratchet-surfaces, one section being arranged to engage the straightway face of the sleeve, the rod-sections and straightway engaging surfaces having interlocking members to prevent independent longitudinal movement of the sleeve when the parts are locked together, and the wedge-key, said key having a slip-lip adapted to turn up to form a locking member to hold the key from working out, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

ELIAS LEWIS.

Witnesses:

W. F. BROOKS, THos. O. DAGGY. 

